Chapter 3 – Flyer Trainee of Volash Cruiser, Natsuki
Her dark blue hair fluttered in waves, and the functional crystals at the tip of her data link connect to her headpiece shook like earrings at her wolf ears. "Just call me Natsuki!"
She just naming herself. Shizuru thought in awed. She doesn't have to be so excited about it. It was as if she was declaring victory in a war.
"But" Natsuki continued. "I would also like to call you Shizuru. Is that alright?"
Wow!, that was so blunt. Using first name basis on their first meeting. Hime society sure is weird. Though Shizuru. When she saw the cute face Natsuki had when she asked so, the doubt within her melted like snow. Why do for a moment there I imagined there's a tail wiggling excitingly behind her? I wonder? The expression that one has when they're excited to hear a respond.
"O..of course" Shizuru nodded gracefully. "I'd be grateful if you would do so!"
"Then Shizuru" perking up her ears, Natsuki said. "Let us go."
"Yes" She followed Natsuki obediently this time.
"Shizuru" said Natsuki. "I would like to ask you something as well." "What?"
"When I saluted earlier, you backed away. What was that?"
I thought you were going to hit me. That was something she could never say, so Shizuru made something up on the spot. "Ara, that's a way of greeting people on my home world. I just did it out of habit."
"I see." Natsuki said trustingly. "How peculiar the greeting of your homeworld is. It seemed as if you were trying to prevent getting punched."
"All cultures seem peculiar until you get used to it." Shizuru explained guiltily.
"I see." She said. "I grew up surrounded by Hime, so I am not well aware of other cultures." "Ara…yes. You are." Now Shizuru felt even more guilty after noticing the disappointed puppy ears on Natsuki.
"But Shizuru, you are Hime as well, so I believe you should try to become accustomed to the ways of the Princess of the Stars."
Shizuru groaned silently. "Princess of the Stars, ne" – The Hime called themselves that occasionally. They seems to like that name.
"Ara..Ara..Easy to say, but it's hard to get out of the habits you grew up with."
"That may be so." Natsuki ears showed disappointed again.
Why do I feel every emotion she feel reflected on her ears movement? I do feel like talking to her ears.. but..I can't resisted..it look cute on her.."It's going to be tough for me from now on." Shizuru sighed trying to get some sympathy. Secretly, she felt great. Her first ancounter with a Hime went far better than she could have hoped. They were calling each other by their first names! With a girl about her own age no less. If there was a man or woman who would not pleased with that, she should check up on the possibility of neurological disorder.
The two of them stood side by side in front of the door to the 26th transportation tube. Natsuki opened the door by quickly accessing her wrist computer.
"Anooo…" Shizuru tried to strike up a conversation. "What was that cruiser called?"
"Volash"
"Ara, yes. Volash ne… which fleet does it belong to?"
"It is part of a training fleet."
"Then, there must be a lot of Flyer Trainee like yourself."
"Do you have common sense?" Natsuki said critically.
"Ara? Of course not, it was all I could do to learn the language and culture. Also the business and negotiating. Military stuff was hardly at the top of my priority."
"Aaa…Yeah." Natsuki face faltered slightly. "You shall forgive me."
Ara? Was that supposed to be an apology? Shizuru asked herself.
The tube stopped after rising two floors. Shizuru followed Natsuki and got off.
"Training ships are in the Training Fleet." Natsuki explained as they walked. "But, these are for students in training to board, not for Flyer Trainee like myself. Training fleet have have one other function. Ships that are getting broken in are assigned to them. Volash was just finished three months ago, and the crew is currently practicing flying her."
"What?" Worry struck Shizuru suddenly.
"Do not be worried." Natsuki said without an expression. But Shizuru know best from the movement of her ears. It point upward showing pride. "It's just an expression. Other than myself, they are all very experienced, they're getting used to the ship as well. It will not break apart just because you came onboard."
"I wasn't worried." Shizuru lied again.
They reached at the end of the hall. Shizuru shuddered when she saw "Imperial Star Forces Section." On the wall. She had come from a world where a military was something one read about in the history books. Finally she was going to get involved with that unknown thing, that relic from the past. There was a door at the end of the walkway. The door opened smoothly when the two approached. The spaceship was right beyond the door. The black color hull filled Shizuru's view.
"This is the cruiser Volash?" Shizuru asked, quite seriously.
"You can't be serious." Natsuki look at her critically.
"Remember Na-tsu-ki, I know nothing." Shizuru said seductively.
"w..well…" Natsuki face start to lit up red. "uhmm…ehemm…This is a shuttle from the Volash, intened for fifty people board. It ferries the crew when the ship can't dock, or it's used to ferry people between ships. Though the only passenger today is you."
"What an honor" and.. is she blushing? she suddenly realized something troubling then – who's going to fly it then? Natsuki!
Shizuru had an idea as to what kind of people flew spaceships, and girls her age were not one of them. But she had a feeling that asking her so would not only place their newly formed friendship in danger, but Shizuru herself as well.
"Well, which one will you board?" She asked.
"Where? There's only one…"
"The copilot seat is empty. Would you like to sit there, or would you like to sit in the cabin in the back?"
"Do you have a cute stewardess?" Shizuru joked.
"We..we don't have cute stewardess." Natsuki said seriously. "but we have beautiful pilot. Well?"
Ara..It seems she means herself when she says 'Beautiful pilot.' She sure is cute. Like a puppy. I'm glad I didn't ask – Shizuru think to herself silently.
"Ara, I take the copilot seat so I can silently look at my cute pilot's face then" again with the flirt.
That took a tons of will not to blushing wildly, but Shizuru knows better…1-2-3..there the tomato face…haaahhhh…I can't seem to resisted teasing her..sure join the military is quite an interesting adventure for me from now on..